Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday announced his plans to seek reelection, launching a historic bid for a third consecutive term.
Walz, a Democrat, revealed his intention to run again in a video posted on social media, touting policy achievements in office and making an appeal for unity.
“We’ve made historic progress in our state, but we’re not done yet. I’m staying in the fight,” the governor said.
In his announcement video, Walz called Minnesota “the best place on Earth with the best people,” but acknowledged the state has “seen terrible times this year.”
“I’m heartbroken and angry about the beautiful people we lost to gun violence,” Walz said, referencing the high-profile political assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark and the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church late last month. “But it’s in these moments we have to come together, because I’ve seen what we can do when we work together.”
Walz said in the video that, if reelected, his priorities would include cracking down on fraud, making health care more affordable, investing in public schools and getting “serious about gun violence.”
The former teacher and Congressman was elected governor in 2018 and won reelection in 2022. In 2024, former Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate in the presidential election, which catapulted him to the national stage.
After the loss to President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, Walz returned to Minnesota to serve out the remaining two years of his term. Earlier this year, he went on a town hall tour of GOP districts across the Midwest, prompting speculation about a future presidential run. In an interview with The New Yorker in March, Walz said if the circumstances were right and he has the right “skill set” for the moment, he would consider running in 2028.
Since Mr. Trump took office, he and Walz have continued the clashes begun during election season. In his announcement video, Walz said he will “never stop fighting to protect us from the chaos, corruption and cruelty coming out of Washington.”
During his gubernatorial tenure, Walz and Democratic lawmakers approved several progressive victories, including universal free school meals, the legalization of recreational marijuana, codified abortion rights and more.
His time in office hasn’t been without controversy, though. After authorities announced charges in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud case — the largest COVID-19 fraud case in the country — the GOP largely blamed Walz for letting it happen under his watch. The scandal prompted a renewed focus on fraud and governmental oversight in the most recent legislative session, which included some changes, though plans for a new state watchdog agency failed to pass.
Since Feeding Our Future, there are additional investigations into fraud in state programs, including alleged bogus claims billed at autism centers and for housing services. The Walz administration’s response to reports of fraud in state government is already becoming a centerpiece to Republicans’ campaign against him.
Walz’s 2022 challenger Scott Jensen is running again for the Republican nomination. State Rep. Kristin Robbins, who chairs the new House fraud-focused committee, and businessman Kendall Qualls have also launched campaigns.
In its 167 years as a state, Minnesota has never elected a governor for three consecutive four-year terms, according to the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Rudy Perpich served three non-consecutive terms and is the state’s longest serving governor.
Before his reelection, Walz led the state through the COVID-19 pandemic, the police murder of George Floyd and the unrest that followed.
Walz and state lawmakers this year achieved what he called “the most impressive achievement” of his career, wrapping up a contentious budget agreement during a special session of the most closely divided Legislature in Minnesota history. The work to finalize the $66 billion biennial budget staved off a government shutdown and made significant headway into a projected $6 billion deficit in future years.
“This is why I got into this business, to try and make a difference, work together, compromise, find common ground,” Walz said of the agreement. “The commitment to making democracy work was as strong as I’ve seen.”
Walz’s party made key concessions to get the deal across the finish line, including removing adult undocumented immigrants from the state’s health care program.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-gov-tim-walz-running-for-reelection/
